Our Sweet Spot

Hello there! I'm finally feeling like I'm ready to get back into creative mode! It's been a while for me. Other than Project Life, I think I've only done 1 other layout this year and that was for the Elle's Studio Make It Sunday post.  Yes, it's been a dry time creatively. 

I'm trying to get myself back in the groove and I must say, it's been a challenge. I feel like I've almost forgotten how to do an actual layout!  But oh, how I've missed it. 

I decided to play along with the Elle's Studio challenges going on this past week for their Kick Off Party for the new website. I don't know if you've been over there lately but if not, go now!  It is awesome! And there's a message board to chat with others as well as an incredible new gallery.  I'm just waiting for her new release coming out this week!

My week ended up getting away from me so I wasn't able to participate like I wanted.  In fact, I only did one layout challenge and didn't even get that one done in time to get it submitted.  Oh well.  I finished it anyway and wanted to share since I did actually FINISH a layout!

The challenge was to use an everyday, found object or item on your layout.  I used a sticker from our favorite local yogurt shop.  I cut the background on my Cameo (loving that thing!) and then just added some Elle's Studio tags. 

I used some of the new Mister Huey Pretty Pink mist.  One of my favorite pink mists ever! Such a pretty color.

Yes, I know you want that ampersand stamp don't you?  Isn't it just the most awesome thing? I love ampersands so this was right up my creative alley!

For this layout I used the May add on kit, Holga, from Studio Calico. Yes, that stamp was in that kit!

More Elle's Studio tags.....

These summer tags are from last year's release but are still available.

Can't wait for her new summer line to be released tomorrow!

Thanks for stopping by!  I hope to be sharing more layouts soon because I am locked away in my room today!  

(Also, thank you so much for your sweet comments and emails about my last post. That's what I just love about the crafting community....the friends you make that you have never even seen face to face but are there to encourage you and lift you up! Thank you all.)

Real Life Happens....to all of us

I for one, am a person whose pet peeve is unattended blogs.  I, however, have fallen into that category myself the past few months.  I'm being honest and open here.  The past few months have been a struggle for me.  There's much of my life that I keep very private and do not blog about.  My blog has mostly been creative projects and a little bit of the fluffy stuff here and there.  The reality is, that's not how life works.  There are real issues we face and real things that people deal with.  The bad thing is that when you only share the fluffy stuff, others sometimes think your life is always a bed of roses and feel let down that their life is about struggles.  The reality is that we all have struggles and face things. 

The past few months have been that for me. I've always heard that if your blog is a creative blog then that's what you stick to and post only those things.  Well, I've never been one to follow the rules or other people so why start now.  My post today is to hopefully encourage someone else who may be going through something or maybe just isn't feeling very creative in your life right now.  I know I haven't lately.  In fact, I let all of my design teams expire and haven't reapplied for any because of what I've been dealing with.  I am not one who can be very creative during times like this. I know for some it's like therapy....not for me. At least not when dealing with something of this magnitude. 

I'm going to try and make this as short as I can.  Many of you know that about a year and a half ago, I had to have surgery.  I had a total hysterectomy.  When I went back to my doctor for a follow up a week later, I was hit with the news that they had found cancer in my uterus.  I was not prepared for that.  To make a long story short, I was seen by an oncologist and thankfully, it was determined that the cancer was localized in the uterus only and was a very slim chance it could have spread and therefore, no further treatment was recommended. Thank God!  I am a person of faith and trust in God and I was so thankful to Him for that.  

Even though that was the case, I still have to go back to my doctor every three months for a follow up until it's been two years after my surgery.  On my last follow up, I finally shared with the doctor some symptoms I've been having for the past few months. I hadn't told anyone except my husband. Like I said, I am a person who believes totally in God and His Word.  I am very careful about the words that come out of my mouth and who I tell what to.  

As I began to tell my doctor, he said he wanted to order some tests, lab and a CT scan.  As he began telling his nurse about what to order, I heard the words "lymph".  My first reaction in the natural was my heart jumping to my throat.  I knew what that meant. But I also knew that I had been into God's word heavily and I knew what I believed about healing.  So I remained strong.  

I went through the tests, the lab and the CT scan.  When I went for the scan, I can't tell you what I was feeling inside.  The fear trying to come on, the feeling that I didn't belong there with all those sick people, the wondering what was going to happen....the waiting....

This was my mainstay during this time. I held tight to the scriptures on healing and health and tried to keep my heart and mind at peace.

 And yet, I'm probably the only person to stop and take a picture of the machine! The technician did chuckle a bit but I knew I'd want this picture to serve as a reminder. 

So, I waited and waited for the response from my doctor. This past Thursday, I finally received a call that with everything they had done, there was absolutely nothing found, everything came back perfectly clean!  He just chalked it all up to "getting older"....HA!!!  I know better though. You see, sometimes it's just the fight....it's the fight to get you off track in what you really believe in. The fight to get you to give up in what you're believing God for.  That's what we know it was. Thankfully, we passed the test and we are so thankful for a God that wants us to live an abundant life, to the full!

Thank you for allowing me to open up and just be real on this post.  I've shared a very personal and private part of my life and I hope in some way, it has encouraged you.  If nothing else, you at least know where I've been!

Have a great week! I know I will!

Project Life ~ Week 6

So, here we go with Week 6! I am still trying to get caught up posting my pages. Happy to say I am caught up completing them! This is Monday so I start working on last weeks pages. Feels so good!

This week I had 3 inserts to add. Just a few things that I want to capture and remember. Here's the full spread with the inserts.

Here are the left and right pages with the inserts removed. I also mixed it up a bit and used the Design B page on the right. I love the interest it adds.

Hubby and I got our Nook Tablets this week so I wanted to keep a bit of that for my PL. I actually tucked the little manual/booklet right in a smaller page protector. I thought how funny it will be to look back on this in a few years when this technology will be obsolete.

And the beloved Valentine's Starbucks cups! I knew I wanted to keep it because it was just so darn cute!

So I created a little layout using it.  I also used the technique shared by Julie Fei-Fan Balzer using washi tape to seal up the page protector and punch holes in the spine for putting in the album! I love the look of it and will definitely be doing that again!

And then the tragic news of Whitney Houston....I simply printed a news ad from the internet and popped it in a page protector. I knew I wanted to keep the story since she was a huge star in my era ( I remember when she started!).  But I didn't want to spend a lot of time on it either so this worked perfect!

So there you have Week 6! I'm not linking any product below simply because it's soooo time consuming. Right now I'm just wanting to get the PL posts caught up and then I'll begin adding product links again. However, if there is something specific you are wanting to know about, please leave me a comment and I'll let you know!

Have a happy Monday!

Join me at Elle's Studio!

Just wanted to pop in here real quick to let you know that I'm sharing a layout today at Elle's Studio blog for their Make It Sunday feature. It's been a couple of years since I was on Elle's design team and it was so good working with her again.

Here's a sneek:

 Hope you're having a fantastic Sunday!!!

Project Life ~ Week 5

Welcome back! This week was a fun week with a birthday dinner with the family. On weeks with these kinds of events, I always want to do an insert. I want to include more photos than I could fit on just the week spread. I know it adds more bulk to my album but I'm ok with that because I'd rather have more of the memories captured in my Project Life. 

Here's the full spread, including the insert. Again, I'm not into matching everything on the page. I like the variety and enjoy using different products on each pocket.

Here is the left side. I am still using the upper left for my "title" card for each week. Guess that's the OCD in me! I still continue my days pretty much in order, from left to right down each page.

This is the right side for the week. I am loving using a lot of the scraps and bits and pieces I have in my stash. I love combining printable journaling cards with other tags and labels.

Here is my insert page. This was for a family dinner celebrating my mom's birthday. I knew I wanted to add more photos and some fun journaling cards. I used a regular baseball card page protector. Love how many photos and journaling cards it adds. I love for my insert pages to fit within the 12x12 project life pages. My inserts will never be as big as the 12x12 pages. I just like them to be sandwiched between my main pages for the week. Just my personal preference.

I am so blessed with such a beautiful Godly mom! I love her to pieces and we have so much fun together!

I love how this insert turned out, so bright and colorful, just like her!

You can see from my pages and my supplies used below that I use a lot of extra journaling cards. I usually have a time where I just print several at one sitting. Let them all print, then when I have some time where I'm just sitting talking on the phone or watching tv with the family, I'll cut them all at once. Then I have them available when I need them!

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